A former offensive lineman in the NFL, Eugene Monroe became the first active NFL player to advocate for cannabis use in March 2016. Monroe called on NFL commissioner Roger Goodall to cease testing players for cannabis, citing its potential as an alternative to opioids for pain relief amongst NFL players.
Carmouche burst into the MMA scene in 2013 when she competed against Ronda Rousey in the first women's fight in UFC history. Since then, she has been a major advocate for CBD use among athletes, particularly for those looking for an all natural pain killer and recovery aid. Carmouche is currently partnered with the hemp oil company "Hemp Meds".
Image: WWE.com
WWE Superstar Rob Van Dam credits cannabis as being a major aide throughout his career as a pro wrestler. Though suspended from WWE for a 2006 cannabis arrest, Van Dam cited cannabis as a major aid for pain relief, pre-show anxiety, and post-show recovery.
A former left-winger and then coach in the NHL, Riley Cote learned of the therapeutic benefits of cannabis at a young age from his sister, who used cannabis to treat symptoms of MS. During his time in the league, Cote often used cannabis to treat pain, anxiety, and as a recovery aid. After retiring in 2010, Cote founded the Hemp Heals Foundation.
Image: Outsports.com
NCAA soccer champ and captain of the Portland Pilots (not to mention twin sister to Megan Rapinoe), Rachael Rapinoe has become a major advocate for CBD use in the athletic community. Since discovering its benefits as a pain and recovery aid, Rapinoe has formed Mendi, an American CBD brand focused on making natural products to help athletes with recovery.
Ultramarathon runner Avery Collins may single handedly get rid of the image of a lazy stoner with his cannabis use. He cites the herb as an aid for his 100-200 mile runs. While he follows event banned substance guidelines, he does use cannabis throughout his training.
Image: ESPN1420.com
Former NFL offensive lineman Kyle Turley has made headlines in the past year speaking openly about his cannabis use since leaving the league. Retired since 2007, Turley suffered many side effects from the multiple concussions he received as a player.
Turley publicly cites cannabis as saving his life post retirement, helping him with the physical and mental scars from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Turley has since founded Neuro XPF, a hemp derived cannabis supplement for athletes.
Image: Cannepoch.com
While this one may not be as surprising as some of the other athletes on this list, Canadian Dee Dussault is credited with being one of the first teachers to publicly offer cannabis-infused yoga classes in North America. While she certainly wasn't the first to combine the two, she did play a major role in bringing it mainstream. The trend has since expanded, with many "ganja yoga" classes being offered worldwide.
Image: Getty Images, 2004
A former running back in the NFL, Ricky Williams faced multiple suspensions throughout his career for his cannabis use. Since retiring, Williams has dedicated his time to the study of herbalism and alternative holistic remedies. He has since founded Real Wellness, a line of cannabis based products and herbal extracts.
Image: Bleacherreport.com
What list of athletes that use cannabis would be complete without Canada’s own Ross Rebagliati? As the first ever snowboarder to win Olympic gold, Rebagliati quickly also became the first snowboarder to be disqualified from the Olympics for having THC in his system. His gold medal was later returned to him as cannabis was not on the list of banned substances and Rebagliati went on to found two businesses: Ross' Gold (a medical cannabis brand) and Legacy by Ross Rebagliati.
